Public Meeting Set in Ukiah to Discuss Quagga/Zebra Mussel Prevention

Members of the public are invited to a meeting Oct. 10 at the Mendocino County Board Chambers to learn about planning efforts under way to prevent the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels in North Coast waterways. Sponsored by the Sonoma County Water Agency and Mendocino County, in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, officials will provide an overview of the mussels, including where and how they spread.

Quagga and zebra mussels, first discovered in the Great Lakes in the 1980s, are invasive species that clog pipes and water intakes and wreak havoc on local ecosystems. The mussels have spread to several reservoirs in California on boats traveling across the country.

Officials at the public meeting will discuss efforts to develop a boat inspection plan to prevent the spread of the mussels and also will address inspection fees that would help pay for the program. For more information on the mussels and prevention efforts visit www.dontmoveamussel.com.

The public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Mendocino County Board Chambers, 501 Low Gap Rd., Room 1010, Ukiah. For more information contact Brad Sherwood at sherwood@scwa.ca.gov.